Extensible mantel



(No Model.)

B. DAMBAGH. YEXTENSIBLE MANTEL.

No. 420,775. Patented Feb. 4, 1890-.

QWimaowo Fhuw-Limogn lm. Wnshingiom D. C.

vwhich shelf A is securely mounted.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVARD DAMBAOH, OF EVANS CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXTENSIBLE MANTEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,775, dated February4, 1890. Applioition filed February 19, 1889. Serial No. 300,416. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD DAMBACH, of Evans City, in the county ofButler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Extensible Mantels; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and eXactdesc-ription thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon,which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1is afront View of myimproved adjustable mantel, showing it extended.Fig. 2 is a similar view of the mantel adjusted to suit a smallerfire-space. Fig. 3 is a rear view; Fig. 4,a sectional viewtakencentrally, longitudinally, and vertically through one half of themantel; Fig. 5, a sectional View on line 2 z, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detailrear view of the mantel, showing the leg and back piece construction.

'This invention is an improvement in adjustable mantels for buildings;and its object is to provide a mantel which can have its partsshifted'so as to widen or narrow the fire space opening and raise orlower the mantel-shelf before the mantel is finally secured in position,as after it is in position the parts are immovable.

The invention is particularly designed for wooden mantels, which can be.kept in stock by lumber merchants; and it consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts of such mantels, as is hereinafterclearly described.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A represents the topboard or shelf of the mantel, which is formed of a single or rigid pieceof suitable material, and B designates a back board, upon the upper edgeof Said back is preferably rectangular in outline and may be ornamentedexteriorly in any desired manner.

O 0 represent vertical legs depending from and loosely connected to theopposite ends of back B.

c c are upstanding arms at the outer sides of the legs, which extendabove the outside of the ends of back B and lie close to shelf A. Thelegs and arms may be formed integral. Said arms protect and cover theends of the back.

Back B and legs 0 are each made of one piece of material, as indicatedin Figs. 1, 2, and 6.,

E E designate grooves formed in the lower edge of back B, near theopposite ends thereof, or one continuous groove might be formed theentire length of said edge, and e e are tongues formed on the upper endsof legs 0 O to the inside of .arms 0, which engage said grooves.

D is a finishing-piece secured to or formed with back B, and F F arefinishing-pieces attached to the faces of legs 0 O and extending upwardto the bottom of shelf A, being recessed at f f, near their upper ends,to fit easily and closely over the ends of piece D, and G G are headedpins or screws projecting inward from the upper ends of pieces F F andengaging in horizontal slots 9 g in the back board or finishing-piece D,as shown. The outer edges of pieces F F are fastened to the'inner edgesof arms a, to make a neat appearance in any convenient manner;

For the purpose of cheapness and lightness the interior portion of boardB may be cut out, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, the remaining portionsthereof being supported on and united to and by finishing-piece D; also,legs 0 0 might be formed in two pieces, as indicated in Fig. 3, andfastened to and supported on the pieces F F.

If the legs G0 are moved inward toward each other until the arms c abutagainst the ends of back B, the fire-space will be narrowed, and byseparating the legs by moving them equally toward the ends of the shelfthe fire-space willbe widened. The grooves and pins are preferablyemployed, as they permit readier adjustment of the legs and back, whiledisengagement of the parts is prevented by closing the outer ends of theslots in anysuitable manner, as bywire loops g, Fig. 4, or by formingthem closed. However, the slots could be omitted and retaining-screws gFig. 5, employed, which would look the legs and back after adjustment,and could be unscrewed to permit adjustment thereof. The amount ofoverlapping of the finishing-pieces F and piece D is sufficient topermit separation of the legs without uncovering the joints between theend of back 13 or piece D and the leg or leg-arms 0, so that theappearance of the mantel is the same when adjusted for small or largefire-spaces, with the exception that the ends of shelf A (which, itshould be observed, is non -extensible or adjustable, but is rigid) projectmore or less beyond the sides of arms 0.

II II designate plintlrblocks, which are recessed on their inner faces,as at h, to receive the lower ends of pieces F F, and these plinths aresecured to the legs by means of pins or screws I I, which projectrearwardly through openings in the lower ends of the legs, preferablyslots t' 2', as shown, to permit readier adjustment of said plinths.

In practice the plinths H can be adjusted up or down on legs O G withoutuncovering the ends of pieces F F, and the lower portions of legs C Ocan be either sunk in the flooring or cut off, as desired, if it isnecessary to lower the mantel.

The back B and shelf A are fixed or stationary in relation to each otherand the fireplace and to the other parts of the mantel, the legs beingadjustable on the back and the plinths on the legs.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the mantel can be readily andquickly adjusted to fire-places of varying sizes. The central portion ofback B and center and tops of pieces F F can be ornamented, as desired,with moldings or carvings and a very handsome mantel formed without inthe least impairing its adjustable features.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationof the non-extensible top piece A, extending the entire width of themantel, and the back 15, rigidly united thereto, with thelaterally-adjustable legs connected to and standing beneath the ends ofsaid back, and the vertically-adjustable plinths on said legs,substantially as described.

52. The combination, in a mantel, of a fixed shelf and back with thelaterally-adjustable legs connected to said back, and thefinishing-pieces on said legs overlying the ends of the back andcovering the joints between the legs and the ends of the back,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the shelf and back with the laterally-adjustablelegs connected to said back, the finishing-pieces on said legs overlyingthe ends of the back and covering the joints between the legs and back,and the adjustable plinths on the bottoms of said finishing-pieces, allsubstantially as specified.

l. The combination of the fixed shelf and back with thelaterallyadjustable legs (J, having arms 0 and adjustably connected tosaid back, and the finishing-pieces F F, scoured to said legs andcovering the joints between the same and the end of the back, allsubstantially as specified.

5. The combination of the fixed shelf A and back B and thelaterally-adjustable legs G 0, connected to said back, with thefinishing-pieces F F, secured to said legs, and the plinths H H 011 thelower ends of said pieces, having recesses h and pins 1, allsubstantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the shelf and fixed back, slotted at its ends,with the laterallyadjustable legs 0, having pins engaging said slots,and upstanding arms 0, all constructed and arranged substantially asspecified.

7. The combination of the fixed shelf, the fixed back having grooves inits lower edge, with the legs 0 0, having tongues in the upper endsengaging said grooves and adjustably attached to said back, and thefinishingpieces on said legs overlapping the joints between the same andends of the back, all sub stantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination of the fixed shell, the' fixed back having grooves inits lower edge, with the legs 0 0, having tongues on their upper endsengaging said grooves, and arms 0 and the finishing-pieees and plinthsthereon, all substantially as described.

9. The combination of the fixed shelf, the back having slots in its endsand grooves in its lower edge, with the legs 0 0, having tongues 011their upper ends, and arms 0 c, the finishing-pieces attached to saidlegs having pins engaging said slotsyand the plinths adj ustably securedto the lower ends of said finishing-pieces, all substantially in themanner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I ailix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ED\VARD DAM BA (ll 1'.

\Vitnesses:

'1. ll. ALEXANDER, P. 'L. BROOKS.

